Interiors: Working with a blue carpet

Wednesday

May 30, 2012 at 12:01 AMMay 30, 2012 at 7:32 AM

Interior-design school tells us that blue is not a wise choice for carpet. That is because it can create a sort of down-in-the-dumps atmosphere. Another reason is that it might be difficult to choose color combinations for the rest of the decor that will work well with all that blue on the floor. But have no fear. If you love blue and are willing to express that love with a blue carpet, do it.

Rosemary Sadez Friedmann

Interior-design school tells us that blue is not a wise choice for carpet. That is because it can create a sort of down-in-the-dumps atmosphere. Another reason is that it might be difficult to choose color combinations for the rest of the decor that will work well with all that blue on the floor. But have no fear. If you love blue and are willing to express that love with a blue carpet, do it.

Blue carpet works with just about everything. Let's explore.

Blue doesn't have to mean "depressing." It is actually a calming and relaxing color. It represents peace, trust, adventure and exploration, so you can already see that blue works well in just about any scene and with many moods. With blue carpet, you can use blue on the walls, too, but it should be a very soft blue. White on the walls, of course, makes the blue on the floor pop nicely. Neutral tones on the wall such as off-white, cream or even a very soft yellow will complement your blue carpet very well.

What if you like bold colors? Great. You can bring in bright red, deep blue, purple or orange for other colors in the room. Instead of a soft yellow, a bold yellow accent looks great with blue, if bold is the way you choose to go. All these colors work nicely with blue. Teal green is another color that works beautifully with blue. OK, so that combo was popular several years ago, but that is because they go well together. So don't be afraid to incorporate teal with blue. What you need to do is find the right teal that will work with the blue you have chosen for your carpet.

So a blue carpet fits whether we're talking contemporary decor or traditional or practically everything else. Do you like the country look for decor? Blue carpet fits in perfectly. Crisp white lace with white-painted furniture and a floral pattern on the upholstery will certainly bring out the country in your home. Don't forget to use plenty of pottery for accessories.

Ah, and don't forget the country-French look with the distressed furniture and the many flowers displayed throughout the house. One or two pieces of darker wood dispersed through a room helps complete the look.

So blue certainly works. Just decide what style you want to use it with and then go for it.

Rosemary Sadez Friedmann, an interior designer in Naples, Fla., is author of "Mystery of Color." For design inquiries, write to Rosemary at DsgnQuest@aol.com.